Chapter Four: Opinions
Right after previous chapter
Focus Swap: Livar
As Livar is walking, he can only think about the conversation the group just had with the Prince. How could he not know? He isn't stupid, anyone that can talk that much with my sister without getting bored has to be smart enough to figure that out on his own. So why didn't he?
Did he really not give it any thought before he said anything? It cant be because of dismissiveness, because he seems very… thoughtful? I hate to think this, but the prince has been pretty… polite. Doesn't he know we aren't nobility? Am i supposed to believe that he doesn't look down at us like the rest of the nobles in the kingdom?
As Livar is thinking, he reluctantly comes to the conclusion that, the prince isn't like the other nobles. At least, not entirely. If anything, he seems… forgetful yet attentive? Is that even possible? He didn't realize the problem with his words until Leva pointed it out. Then after, he really seemed to consider it and came to the correct conclusion.
Was it an act? I doubt it, Vedaria would have said something. Shes very good at telling if someone is lying. Surprisingly well, actually. Its like she can smell lies. lightly chuckling at the thought, he dismisses it and levitates something out of the bag on his back.
Taking a bite of the apple he brought with him, he continues to think hard about the prince, when Vedaria speaks up, “Hey prince? Can i ask something of you?”
Focus Swap: Vedaria
Thinking to herself about the conversation the group just had, Vedaria comes to a conclusion that she previously didn't want to consider.
The Prince seems to be… trustworthy. The others might not have noticed, but i heard him mention that he likes us. But he didn't make a big deal out of it, not even when Livar and Leva clearly proved him wrong about the whole ‘its not a big deal’ thing.
I mean, I knew something was up with that story, it just didn't seem likely that a eighty meter tall, magic resistant dragon could be killed by a single alicorn in one-on-one combat. Not even if Verodine was the strongest alicorn in history would that story be plausible.
So it being a lie makes sense, and if the prince wasn't trustworthy, then he wouldn't have slipped up like that. Not to mention he wasn't concerned about our reactions until we made it clear something was wrong.
He even became concerned and even apologized about the misunderstanding. He just doesn't seem like a schemer. Either hes so good at acting that its psychopathic, or he is just a considerate, albeit forgetful, nice guy…
Vedaria then speaks up, and asks Ventian “Hey prince? Can i ask something of you?”
The prince looks up and says with a curious look, “Yeah sure. What is it?”
“Do you like to share things? Is that why you didn't think about the problem in what you said?”
Ventian responds while nodding “Yeah, thats kinda the reason. I honestly just didn't think about it. If i did, i probably wouldn't have said anything. Its just, I'm so used to people that i talk to, usually my father, enjoying listening to me share information. I just thought of it as something interesting. I didn't mean to freak you all out about it. Sorry.”
“Huh. I accept your apology.” Livar says from the other side of Vedaria.
Well thats a development! Livar seems to have come to a similar conclusion that I did. Although i expect his thoughts to be something like ‘oh well he's not a prick like i thought.’ Maybe I'm being too harsh on him, but previous experience shows that Livar doesn't, or didn't, like the prince at all.
Vedaria then intentionally picks up her pace to let them talk.
Focus Swap: Ventian
“Huh. I accept your apology”
As Vedaria walks faster to be ahead of the group a bit, Venian realizes who said that.
Wait, Livar said that? I guess he doesn't hate me as much now. But from one conversation? One that i thought wasn't as big a deal as it seemed? Why are so many things suddenly changing, or maybe its not that its changing, i just never thought to think about… my thoughts?
Never thought to think about my thoughts. Thats a.. mouthful? Brainful? What? with a pensive look, he reaches into his bag with his magic and takes out a piece of bread.
“Where'd that come from?” Livar asks while looking at the bread with curiousness.
“My… bag?” Ventian replies, somewhat confused.
“But that bread looks like it would take up half of that bag, and ive seen you take… more from… wait. Is that a Bag of Holding?!” Livar now has a surprised look on his face.
“Um, yea it is. I made it myself, though it took me a while to get the runes right.”
Leva cuts in suddenly from behind Livar, speeding up her gait to walk next to Ventian, “Hold on, you have a Bag of Holding? aren't they expensi- WAIT, YOU MADE THAT?!” She finishes, yelling practically in Ventians ear.
Pinning said ear, Ventian replies “Owww, not so loud. And yes i made the thing, but as i said it took me a while. Like, two weeks. I think. Im bad at keeping track of time.”
“Theres no way you did that in two weeks, it takes like… a year to make one.” Livar says with an accusing tone, as if he believes Ventian lied.
“Yeah, but my father kinda taught me how to use Runes faster. It involves being able to transmute objects into pure mega instead of having to fuse each rune with pure mega over time, then placing those Mega-construct runes into an object. Dad has a hard time doing it himself, but i learn fast and was able to make the process more… efficient… by… okay, what now?!” Ventian finishes with exasperation, as the group, once more, is staring at him.
“Its… nothing, we just thought it wasn't possible to do it that quickly.” Livar replies.
“Oh. Anyways, as i was saying, i made the process more efficient by removing the malleability of the rune-magic itself. If the bag is broken, the contents will spill out instantly and the bag will become a regular bag.” Ventian finishes as the group now returned to walking along the road, when suddenly Vedaria yells out to the group.
“Theres a caravan coming this way, everyone move to the side of the path to make room.” As the group does just this, they now see the carriages moving towards them.
Oh cool, i knew these things existed but I've never seen a caravan group up close! Ventian thinks with a bit of excitement.
As the two groups pass each other by, Ventian looks more closely at one of the carriages. What is that symbol? Ive never seen that before. Deciding it doesnt matter, Ventian continues walking at a normal pace.
A few hours later, the group decides to make camp somewhat off the road a bit in case more carriages come by.
“We were lucky,” Vedaria begins “that nobody went by our path the last few days, but after that caravan I'm not taking any more chances. If we are in the way of, say, a nobles transport, then they wouldn't hesitate to go through our camp as they don't know us and likely wont care.”
Ventian agrees, knowing that some of the nobles he has met would be scummy enough to do something like that. Plus, now that he's away from the capitol, its likely nobody would believe him that he is the prince. Not like he ever pulls the ‘Im better than you and can prove it’ thing, as it were, nor does he believe in superiority by default, but still.
Ventian looks into his bag, and realizes something.
“Oh dear, i don't have anymore food. Uhhh… thats bad, right?” Ventian looks to Vedaria as he asks, getting a quick reply from the mare.
“Actually, we are getting close to a town with a shop that i know has pretty much anything you can think of. Im a friend of the family that works there too, so we might get a discount. Maybe.”
Rose then speaks up from next to Ventian, “‘Maybe?’ That doesn't seem like you to be unsure of something.”
“Do they have those chocolate things?” Ventian asks, as he enjoys chocolate. Even the word makes him giggle a bit inside.
“Yea, but its kinda on the expensive side. The cheapest I've seen their candies were around two gold.” Vedaria replies.
The currency exchange of the metal pieces goes like this: ten copper bits make one silver. Ten silver bits are one gold. Twenty gold is one platinum, and twenty-five platinum is one Deonnian, which are bits made of mythril, a very rare magical metal. Because of course they made the most expensive part of their currency named after the ruling family.
“Two gold, huh? Well. Good thing ive got…” looking into his bag, he takes out a few bits of teal colored coins. “Oh. So… this would be too much?”
Everyone is staring at the coins with wide eyes. “Are… those mythril?” Leva asks.
“Um… these are Deonnian bits. So… yes?” Ventian once more becomes nervous at the attention.
“Then yes. Those are too much. Did you bring other kinds of bits with you, or just ten of the most valuable material on the planet?” Vedaria questions.
Looking back into the bag, and placing the Deonnian bits back as well, Ventian speaks again.
“Oh yea, i got a few bags of gold and silver in here. No copper or platinum though… guess i didn't think about that. I did kinda rush out of my room. Heh.” With a sheepish grin, he looks back at the group to see… everyone giggling to themselves. Even Livar seems to be enjoying himself.
Huh. He does seem to have lightened up to me… thats a good thing, right? as Ventian finishes his thought, Rose speaks up.
“Hey, prince? What is your favorite food? Ive only ever seen you eat bread, but that can’t be the only thing you like.”
Focus Swap: Livar
While the prince explains what food he likes to Rose, Livar is thinking about what just occurred. Of course money like that isn't a big deal to him. He might not be a pretentious prick like i thought he would be, but he's still The Prince. He’s just… approachable. He's spoiled, but not to the point where he scoffs at other peoples opinions like they don't matter.
He seems to actually… care. About us, and our words. I mean, we pointed out a problem with his thinking and he acknowledged it! He actually considered our points of view. I… i will admit i was wrong about him at first, and i know i should apologize for my behavior but… ill do that later.
Focus Swap: Vedaria
As Ventian and Rose speak about what foods they like, Vedaria can only think about what just happened. Hmm… I've seen Mythrils before, but not that many. I could buy a house with that much, and the Prince just… casually brings them out like they barely mean anything? Of course he did, and of course it doesn’t matter to him. He might be trustworthy, but he is still royalty. He’s not a brat but he is spoiled.
Maybe there was some truth in the obvious lie of the kings claim of wanting his son to learn to live on his own. The prince does seem a little sheltered, at least socially. No friends during his foalhood, he most likely became bored of whatever schooling he’s had as he seems very intelligent by the fact that he can hold a conversation with our resident super-nerd. grinning at her own thought, Vedaria continues her train of thought.
From what i can see, Prince Ventian is an intelligent, friendless royal with little social contact outside of his father, the king, who probably has the opinion that Ventian should learn things on his own. Growing up, he likely had little opportunity to even talk with other ponies and the king probably gave him some speech about how friends would weigh him down, although given how the prince acts towards us, i doubt it sank in at all.
Which is a good thing, as Ventian seems to benefit from giving and receiving information, and he also enjoys it. He likes talking, and while its a tad egotistical, he cant help that. He is a prince after all. Maybe… maybe its worth it to befriend him. I could try to ask the question, but ill do that when we get to town.
Focus Swap: Ventian
After conversing with Rose about what foods they liked, they agreed that, while chocolate is good, its somewhat unhealthy. And Rose has never tried a type of bread called ‘Brioche’ before, Ventian insists that its ‘awesome to taste, and its healthy too.’
Rose seems to enjoy sweet but healthy foods, while Ventian will eat anything as long as its clean. When asked by Livar if he would eat grass if he had too, Ventian replied “First off, Gross. Second, absolutely not. And Third, gross” to which Livar replies that Ventian said gross twice.
A few more hours pass, and the group gets ready to sleep as the sky begins to darken in preparation for the night.
And as they enter their tents, Livar walks up to Ventian’s tent door to say something.
“Hey, so. I know i was kinda unfair to you, and maybe you didn't notice, but i just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being angry at you for no reason.” As he says this, Ventian looks at him with a smile.
“Hah. Its alright. Im actually used to people hating me for no reason. Some noble once ran into me in the castle and thought i was some random alicorn and acted all angry, demanding why i was there, and when i pointed out a picture next to us, he realised. That it was a picture of me and my dad!” Laughing a bit at the memory, he then goes on the say “So like i said, its alright. And if it makes you feel better…”
“I forgive ya.” He then raises his hoof and Livar looks at it, smiles, and hoofbumps the prince, who then says.
“Oh and another thing, please call me Ventian from now on. Id like to think we are friends. As long as you want to be as well.” Livar then looks at him in shock for a moment before smiling once again.
“Why wouldn't i wanna be friends with the prince? Alright Ventian, i guess we’re friends now.” Livar then exits the tent to go to his own, and Ventian closes the door with a smile.
Friends. Father said friends are useless, but he also lied about the reason why im even here at all. Maybe i should enact some spite for him lying… and become friends with these ponies. They definitely are friendly, and i like them.
Friends... Ventian drifts off into sleep and, for once, is truly happy.
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I like it.
11685055
Thanks.
Can i ask what you like about it?
11685057
Tis, heartwarming. The Prince is learning new things after being cooped up his whole life, similar to Twilight Sparkle really. Writing this made me see the confections between these two. Though, work on transitions and pacing would help the story a bit.
11685066
Yea. Forget that deleted comment
Anyway, yea im kinda bad at pacing, but im trying to get better. This is only technically my first story.
11685069
Not too bad I say. Can't speak too much have even written my own.
11685082
I dont really have a specific schedule for posting, but i have the idea that each chapters “Plot focus” is linked to its chapter name. Like, in Emotions, we see Aerlan angry, and Ventian kinda being a lump of new feelings that he isnt used to.
Ventian really isnt used to being lied to, at all. So hearing that Aerlan lied to him so effortlessly…
Well, im not going to spoil the future, but know that its gonna build to something.